Tony Nominations are Tomorrow

TONY NOMINATIONS ARE COMING!! TONY NOMINATIONS ARE COMING OUT!!

I don’t know about you but I am pretty thrilled for this award ceremony. This year’s lineup in new shows opening on Broadway have been well acclaimed and praised. There have been more successes than flops this year on Broadway. The last Broadway shows opened last week and it’s time to announce the nominations.

Let’s take a look at the three top candidates that will surely be racking up the nominations for the most anticipated night in the Broadway community on June 11 at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Now, I have not seen any of the shows going up for nominations. Quiet frankly, I haven’t seen a Broadway show since I was a senior in high school. I can’t analyze my decision on the show based on visually experiencing the production, however; I’ve gathered numerous insights from major theater blogs, listening to the soundtracks (if they are out), guest performances on media platforms, news sources and friends who have seen these productions. So let’s take a peak inside the lights on Broadway!

Number #1: Dear Evan Hansen

I talked about this in my last post when the company performed on the “Today” show. Making its world premiere at the Arena Theatre in 2015, the show has slowly made the travel to Second Stage Theatre and now at its Broadway House of the Music Box Theatre in New York.

We follow the story Evan Hansen, played by the remarkable and once shy Benji in “Pitch Perfect” and Pitch Perfect 2″ Ben Platt, a senior in high school living with severe social anxiety. As prompted by his therapist to writer letters to himself, he finds himself stuck between a rock and hard place after the suicide of his classmate Connor, portrayed by former Newsie Mike Faist.

This show takes us on the journey of love, loss, acceptance and family. A moving piece of theatre; read “The New York Times” review of the show from opening night on Broadway.

Number #2: Anastasia

This musical has been in the talks for the last couple years and now it is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre. Loosely based off the 1997 movie of “Anastasia,” we follow the story of Anya, played by Broadway’s new ingenue Christy Altomare, who is on the ultimate journey to find the family she once had, the pieces to her past and learning who she is along the way.

A timeless classic receives a new level of depth between characters, more songs and a new take on the story of who Anya truly is. Critics have given the show mixed to positive reviews. If you plan on seeing this musical, please know that this musical is loosely based on the movie. Only six songs are taken from the original movie with up to 16 new songs added. Timelines are scattered around, moments from the show are interpreted differently and some parts are taken out.

Watch Altomare perform the show’s Oscar nominated song and Act 1’s closing number, “Journey to the Past.”

Number #3: Groundhog Day

What if you woke up one day playing the same day over, and over again in one continuous loop that never ended? If you wanted to know what that was like, well my theatre nerd friends, you are in luck! “Groundhog Day” does exactly that with an Andy Karl as Phil Connors, the TV weather guy. He covers the infamous groundhog’s day in a small Pennsylvania town only to find himself suck on repeat.

You might know Karl as Kyle the UPS delivery man in “Legally Blonde,” Rocky in “Rocky” and Tommy DeVito in “Jersey Boys.” For his role in “Groundhog Day” Karl won the Laurence Oliver Award for Best Actor in a Musical. For those who don’t know what an Oliver Award is, it’s the equivalent of the Tony or Academy Award in the states presented by the Society of London Theatre. I mean, if Andy Karl’s Wikipedia page already has him listed as a nominee for Best Actor in a Musical without official nominations being released yet, then I don’t know what to expect for this years nominations.

Because Broadway on the “Today” show are my thing, here’s the company of “Groundhog Day” performing on their “Best of Broadway” segment.

Other musicals to look out for is “Come From Away” which tells the true story of when almost 40 planes landed on the island of Newfoundland off the coast of Canada.

The Roald Dahl classic, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” starring Christian Borle as the infamous Willy Wonka, previously played by Gene Wilder (1971 movie) and Johnny Depp (2005 movie) takes the stage at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. There is also the ever so talented Glenn Close in “Sunset Boulevard” by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Bandstand” featuring the ever so angelic and graceful Laura Osnes and fiery tenor, Corey Cott, was one of the last shows to open in the Broadway season. There is “Amélie” featuring former Schulyer sister Phillipa Soo. “Miss Saigon” received a revival this season.

There are so many shows that have opened and are great contenders for nominations tomorrow. Check them all out, listen to the OBC if they are out or wait in anticipation for them to be released and support theatre.

I gotta do a post about the plays on Broadway because they are so undervalued and represented that I can’t even comment on the plays being played right now on Broadway.

I am ashamed myself. But regardless of my shame, Tony nominations come out tomorrow and I am ready. I. AM. READY.

Journey to the Past – Today Show

I am back at it again giving you the scoop on what is happening on the “Today” Show and Broadway musicals.

Well, if you didn’t know “Anastasia” this past week opened officially on Broadway with great reception from audiences and critics. Based on the 1997 movie of the same title, “Anastasia” follows the story of Anya as she tries to connect all of the pieces of her past and who she is supposed to be in this timeless classic.

Premiering, originating and performing in the title role, Christy Altomare, delivers a heartfelt and powerful (there’s a much better word to describe her performance in the role but I can’t think of it at the moment) rendition of the Academy Award nominated Original Song “Journey to the Past.”

When she is talking about the show and originating the role of Anya is such a pleasure to see. She’s so humble about all that has happened with this project and process that the performance she gives on the “Today” show is only a taste of what I can only imagine her full performance is on Broadway.

Watch this. Feel the feels and be ready for the OBC recording in June when you can listen to the song on repeat!

http://www.today.com/video/see-a-song-from-the-new-broadway-musical-anastasia-performed-live-on-today-best-of-broadway-929957955942

Dear Evan Hansen – Today Show

I am a ball of emotions writing this, so please, bare with me.

 

Hit Broadway show, “Dear Evan Hansen,” performed this morning on the “Today” show with the full company singing Act 1’s closer, “You Will be Found.” My friends who have seen it weep during the entire performance for it’s storytelling, visual elements and vocals with the contemporary score and book. But the largest chunk of weeping happens at the end of Act 1.

“Dear Evan Hansen” follows the story of Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety disorder who writes letters to himself, suggested by his therapist. Evan finds himself in a tough situation after the suicide of his classmate, Connor, involving one of these letters. “Dear Evan Hansen” exposes themes of acceptance, mental health, kindness and growing up. With solo performance numbers such as “Waving Through a Window” or “For Forever,” the song “You Will be Found” is the anthem of what this musical is about it.

It’s an anthem for anyone who has ever felt alone. For anyone who’s been lost without a person to turn to. For anyone who has social anxiety. For the people who fear their insecurities. For the person who feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. This song, this story, is for anyone who knows what it feels like standing in a crowded room completely alone.

Have you ever felt like nobody was there
Have you felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere
Have you ever felt like you could disappear
Like you could fall and no one would hear

Well, let that lonely feeling wash away
Maybe there’s a reason to believe you’ll be okay
Cause when you don’t feel strong enough to stand
You can reach, reach out your hand

And oh, someone will come running
And I know they’ll take you home

Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you’re broken on the ground
You will be found

You Will Be Found – Lyrics by Benji Pasek & Justin Paul

This show takes audience members on an roller coaster of a ride with stops at happiness, grief, sorrow and love. There’s more along the way but that is something you will have to find out for yourself by listening to the OBC recording available on Youtube, Spotify and iTunes. Below is the full cast on the “Today” show; you might want tissues when watching this.

Or a furry friend. I would suggest both because it will make you, as the kids say it these days, feel all the feels.

I’ve listened to this song so many times (read: the whole cast recording for 5 hours straight. No big deal.) but this time around it hit home a little bit harder. I think everyone has a little bit of Evan in them and theatre characters we’re able to see in ourselves withstand a longer impact and lasting memory rather than the characters we have no ability to relate to.

All I know is that I need to see this show on Broadway ASAP. No ifs, ands or buts about it. And you should, too.

Enjoy!

http://www.today.com/video/watch-stars-of-broadway-musical-dear-evan-hansen-perform-live-on-today-929034307898

13 Reasons Why – Theatre Connection

Content Warning: suicide, self-harm, mental health.

Brian Yorkey, I am disappointed in you.

Let me preface by saying that I love your previous work in theatre. As the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for “Next to Normal,” I commend you for challenging what we know of theater and the topics that need to be discussed in theatre as well as outside our little world.

Now your work as the librettist and lyricist for “Next to Normal” is groundbreaking. For those who don’t know the show, “Next to Normal” follows the small suburban family where the mother lives with bipolar depression, whose condition intertwines with every person, dead and alive, in the family. The musical addresses many topics such as death, grief, suicide and drug abuse. Some of these themes can be found in the new series, “13 Reasons Why,” on Netflix which was released on March 31.

Next to Normal

For those of you who have (somehow) not heard about “13 Reasons Why;” originally written by author Jay Asher, this story exposes 13 tapes left by Hannah Baker, who unfortunately committed suicide, explicitly explaining 13 moments that began her freshmen year of high school to the beginning of her junior year. These tapes and moments explain why she decides to end her life.

What I keep asking myself is how can someone who collaborated on a groundbreaking piece of theatre, where walls and boundaries were expanded, can take the same concepts and themes, adapt those themes from a 2007 “New York Times’ Bestseller” into a TV show script and completely miss the mark?

“Next to Normal” was done right, continuing to move audiences around the U.S and world. “13 Reasons Why” leaves empty holes and honestly, triggered. I know, triggered has become a word we joke about on Urban Dictionary and have created memes about, but the content in “13 Reasons Why” is triggering.

It’s one thing to have your feelings hurt but insinuating feelings that can sometimes leave us out of our own control is unsafe and dangerous. It is not safe to be triggered so deeply you don’t know your own emotions or state of being. No show is worth that. No show is worth losing control over yourself.

The key to good, thought provoking theatre is that we expose truth, honesty and life in a short period of time as we know of it to be. Some things are shifted for the stage but when we see ourselves in a vulnerable state of being is when we understand life through theatre.  “13 Reasons Why” created a PSA to not commit suicide, the affects of bullying, what sexual assault looks like and our relationship to someone after they’re dead.

Taking bullying seriously, exposing the realities of someone who has experienced sexual assault, rape culture and talking about suicide is important. So unbelievably important. I cannot stress how important it is; as someone who has gone through a lot between both of these shows combined, I am proud of the progress we’ve made. It’s about time mainstream media takes the challenge to produce TV shows that break the status quo.

But if we want to break boundaries it has to be done right. Producers and writers went against The Foundation of Suicide Prevention who have guidelines on how to approach, articulate and execute any media represented story line containing suicide. There are a lot of problematic issues with “13 Reasons Why” that significantly outweigh the few great things that the show did do.

“Next to Normal” producers and creative team gave us a story that moves audiences to tears and opens up the conversation about the effects of mental health. It represents the people who might not have been represented in theatre. It represents the people who have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and schizophrenia, and gives them a voice. To get rid of the label of what it means to have a “mental illness.” “Next to Normal” was one of the shows that saved me as a depressed teenager struggling from bullying and sexual harassment. “Next to Normal” made it okay to discuss topics not normally talked about.

In my opinion, “13 Reasons Why” did not thoroughly think every choice they made when going about this TV show on Netflix. They went stereotypical for someone committing suicide by self-harming (in fact in the novel, Hannah describes why she chose pills because she didn’t want her parents (or anyone) finding her in such a horrific state). The TV show normalizes suicide as if that’s the only way out of bullying.  “13 Reasons Why” does not touch or demonstrate the importance of mental health playing in a fact of people’s mind on choosing to commit suicide or having suicidal thoughts. “13 Reasons Why” glorifies self-harming. “13 Reasons Why” is extremely problematic.

Others have different opinions and viewpoints of “13 Reasons Why” (which is okay!) but what I have read from the book, reviews and arguments, I don’t like what I have read. I was expecting to see an equally groundbreaking adaptation of “Thirteen Reasons Why” when made as a TV show for Netflix, seeing it came from the same writer of “Next to Normal.”

This is why I am upset with you Brian Yorkey, and all the producers and writers on this show. This is why, when I choose to watch “13 Reasons Why,” I am going remember that suicide is not the way out when the world seems like it’s crumbling to pieces. I am going to remember why I chose life instead of choosing to see darkness.

But please remember, not everyone is able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Not everyone will view this as a way to seek help from being bullied, suicidal or self-harming. Someone might take this as inspiration to take their own life, to not ask for help or continue to isolate themselves from everyone around them.

“Next to Normal” has helped me. “13 Reasons Why” has made me angry.

If you are, or someone you know, is experiencing suicidal thoughts or harm, please don’t be afraid to reach out to local and national resources. Below are numbers to use:

National Suicide Prevention and Bullying Lifeline: 1.800.273.8255

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1.800.656.4673

National LGBT+ National Hotline: 1.888.843.4564

Self Injury Foundation Crisis Line: 1.877.332.7333

Tony Awards’ Host Announced

The most anticipated theatre event of the year has gained a host.

Oscar, Tony and Golden Globe winner Kevin Spacey will host the 71st Antoinette Perry, Tony Award as we all know it to be, Award Ceremony on PBS on June 11 at the infamous Radio City Music Hall.

The last few years we’ve seen James Cordon, Neil Patrick Harris, Hugh Jackman, Kristen Chenoweth and Alan Cumming as the Emcee of the ceremony.

Kevin Spacey has been seen on stage in “Richard II,” “Richard III,” “As You Like It,” “Lost in Yonkers” (Tony Award performance) and “Hurlyburly.”

I am excited for the change in host for this year’s award ceremony. It’s going to be nothing short of excitement, theatrics and astonishing performances from artists in current Broadway musicals and plays but I think there is going to be a great change in approach. I think there are going to be elements and tricks we haven’t seen in recent years in the Tony Awards.

When nominations are announced on May 2 is when we will really see the direction the Tony Awards will take us in just a short two months.

Check out Playbill’s coverage of Kevin Spacey’s host selection: http://www.playbill.com/article/kevin-spacey-will-host-the-2017-tony-awards

 

Newsies Comes to Fredonia, NY!

This might be an anti-climatic story, because I usually tell those kinds of stories, but I have a find I must share that you might not have known elsewhere!

I was sitting at work yesterday when the Director of the Fredonia Opera House came in to drop off a brochure of events happening in March. Academy Award nominee movies like “La La Land” and “Lion” are being shown at the opera house, which is exciting, but if you’re like me, you might have freaked out seeing “Newsies Live” on the second page of the pamphlet. My co-workers didn’t understand my excitement, but let me tell you about “Newsies.”

“Newsies” was first a movie which originally premiered in 1992 starring Christian Bale. Most recently the show has been adapted to the stage. “Newsies” started out at Paper Mill Playhouse before it transferred over to Broadway from 2012-2014 following National Tour following the closing of the New York run until 2015. At the end of 2016, it was announced that “Newsies” was releasing a live recording of the show, drawing in over 100 different cast members – Paper Mill, Broadway and National tour – came together to film the most anticipated Broadway recording of the year.

It’s not often that you’ll find Broadway release recordings of shows that have been produced. Patti Lupone will tell you herself her feelings on recordings and photography in the theater. Originally having three showings across the United States, it was picked up for a forth night for March 4. Luckily, the Fredonia Opera house has worked their magic to get “Newsies Live” on March 10. Living in a small college town, getting showings like this rarely happens and if you want to go see a live recording of a show or performance, you usually have to go to Buffalo, which is 45 minutes away. But for a night of great theatre within a 10 minute walk to my apartment for 10 dollars, I really can’t beat it.

If that’s not a good way to start spring break, I don’t know what is.

2017 Academy Awards – Oscars (still) so White?

24-hours later, I digest my thoughts.

For the last couple years the Academy Awards, or Oscars, have received a lot of negative reactions do to the fact that nominees (and winners) across all categories have been people who are white. “La La Land”, although a great film in delivery and storytelling, overshadowed films such as “Hidden Figures,” “Lion,” “Moonlight” and “Fences” who were pushed to the back burner who’s cast and or production team were composed of minority groups.

Let me say that “Moonlight” deserved to win Best Picture of the year than the anticipated win to go to “La La Land” who won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. “Moonlight” won for Best Motion Picture – Drama. A friend described the Best Picture mix-up like this:

“La La Land” won the popular vote, while “Moonlight” won the electoral vote.

The difference I find between these two films is that “La La Land” portrays under different interpretation, direction and cast, a storyline we’ve seen before in countless other films. Jimmy Kimmel joked during one of his many speeches throughout the night that “Black people saved NASA and white people saved jazz.”

Think about that one for a minute.

Best Picture 2017

“Moonlight” tackles the importance of toxic masculinity among gay, black men. The intersectionality between the black community and MOGII+ community draws the struggles and issues this group face in just one movie. You have a cast who is diverse in ethnicity, race and representation not only in “Moonlight” but other Oscar nominated films. “Hidden Figures” represents the three highly educated women who were able to calculate and successfully execute the mission of getting someone to Orbit the Earth in space. “Fences” which was originally written by African American playwright August Wilson tells the story about a family’s dynamic involving love, sacrifice, and race. As Oscar winner Viola Davis said in her acceptance speech, the film “…is about people and words. And life and forgiveness and grace.”

Why aren’t we talking more about how Viola Davis is the only African American women to be nominated for an Academy Award three times? Or that she now holds an Oscar, Tony Award, Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award.

Fences

Why aren’t we talking more about Mahershala Ali who not only won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but he is the first Muslim to win in any major category? How about breakthrough director Barry Jenkins who’s film not only won Best Picture, but he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Asghar Farhadi had a personal statement read as he stood in solidarity with the seven countries, one he is from, that is part of the immigration travel ban and was not present for the award ceremony.

Even after various sexual assault crimes were committed, Casey Affleck won for Best Actor. Denzel Washington in “Fences” was praised way more than than Affleck and arguably one of his best works not only as an actor, but director. This just goes to show that white cisgender men who are sexual assault predators with a past of charges will have their lives ruined by being placed in prestigious honors among society.

Think about also that the people of color who won in the performance categories were for supporting and not best? I find that ironic because although we’ve made many major strides for people or color and minorities especially with Best Picture of the night, but they’re still pushed to the side. All of these films and stars were looked past by those performers who were white.

Oscars weren’t as white this year and a dent was slightly made, but there is still so much to be done.

We’ve seen the power of what white films, we know nothing else. The minute we have films with people of color and minorities, we have the need to overshadow them. This has been the best year for people of color and minorities in the entertainment field across the board in movies, music and theatre. But of course, those achievements are shadowed by those who white performers.

I am white and I am privileged to be represented in movies, TV and theater, but a lot of people can’t say that. And under representation of people who are not white in entertainment is an issue we need to start addressing way more.

Recap – Danny and the Deep Blue Sea

My article for Fredonia’s school paper, “The Leader,” this past week was on our student run Performing Arts Company’s (P.A.C) third production in their 2016-17 season, “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” by John Patrick Shanley.

Productions produced by P.A.C are in experimental fashion where they create a theatre space in found locations with minimal set and lighting exposing the story in its most personal form. It makes theatre more raw when there aren’t so many flashy lights and intricate sets. I am totally up for theatre that does all that but sometimes you have to step away from the flashy theatre to appreciate simplistic presentational performances.

People who first start out in this profession will often create their own theatre in nontraditional places with low budgets to keep themselves working before they book a professional gig. Nontraditional locations make a space more intimate, raw and vulnerable when you’re able to see the littlest facial expressions or the tiniest movements made by the performers.

Watching the show under this particular direction, the artists’ interpretation and in this found space reminded me why theatre is needed now more than ever. I’m starting to view my theatre in the eyes of a communicator rather than the eyes of a theatre artisan. We’re watching, on one end “simple” (take that term lightly, a better word will come to me eventually) all the way to extreme forms of interpersonal communication. “Simple” is the fluff  in order to get us to the goods. Extreme is where we can instinctively see ourselves – personalities, persona, emotions and image – in the characters on stage.

“Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” provides us with a story where we can see all of who we are, demons and all, through Danny and Roberta. And that my friends, is the power of theatre. If you can get your hands on this script or can find a local production of the play, I highly recommend reading and/or seeing it.

What is Theatre?

I am being completely honest. What is theatre? How would you describe theatre?

The last four semesters I have been taking communication studies classes and learning about different theories, situations and concepts that we engage in or witness every day. Since I have been diving in to learn about these concepts, I’ve noticed my idea of theatre has been changing.

Which got me thinking a little bit. What is theatre?

Theatre is this bizzare concept that actors, technicians, dancers, writers, directors and artists on all platforms emerge themselves in to replicate millions upon millions of interactions on a three dimensional surface, conformed within  flexible box for people to watch as if the story is being placed under a microscope.

It’s more than pulling out a random book off the shelf and flipping to the 94th page to just completely emerge yourself into the story.  If someone is going to read a book, they’ll read it from the beginning. We get all of our questions answered (hopefully) at the end. But with theatre, we just dive right in head first.

And that’s how theatre is recognized as a performing art. We spend about two hours in a dark theatre only to receive part of the whole story of the characters, their every day life and history to then be left to as patrons to figure out what happens next in our own personal perception.

It’s insane to me. It’s crazy that we are willing to see performers we might idolize or not even know simply engaging in communication patterns that we as normal human beings do every single moment in our days and lives. But acting is said to be anything but easy.

As performers we are expected to discover our acting values, objectives, “what ifs,” tactics and goals for our characters to either accomplish, fail or halt in the end. We have to understand the other person better than ourselves sometimes. And I think we might coin the term “overthinking” when it comes to acting because we can’t put these communication patterns into words, recognizing we’ve seen or have experienced a situation first hand. We understand what is happening without possibly understanding the mechanics of “how” it all works.

Acting is not about who’s the winner or loser. If it’s a scene between two people, it’s not about one person being right or wrong; it’s about understand why. Why is this conversation happening between these two people and about what? What is going to happen? Why is this important?

Example: Two people are cast in a show. One person (Person A) has a particular personality while the other person (Person B) has a different personality. There just so happens to be a conflict (GASP!) Sounds like something that happens all the time, right? But let’s break it down.

Communication Pattern

Person A and Person B will send various messages to each other in the form of lines.

Person A and Person B will reciprocate these messages which will process appropriate feedback depending on the situation at hand. It’s as if the actors are hearing these thoughts for the first time, just like in real life.

Noise (literal or figurative) we encounter while communicating ends up being some sort of stage business (in every form) which can effect the interpretation of the feedback.

Body language and character habits convey strong nonverbal communication cues and actions.

Each response will spark a different emotion (tactic) that will resonate within their self-concept in someway.

Our proxemics (SPACE; where are we?) will determine our volume level whether we are in an intimate, personal, social or public setting.

Our goals are what become our objectives. 

When we become a company, think of it as a small group, we go through all these steps to perform as the best group humanly possible. When the show is over, it’s not show depression that gets the best of us; it’s the fact that the group formed (the company) will not perform in that show under the same artistic interpretation with the same group of people ever again.

We sometimes overthink because it can be that simple. And that’s why theatre is so important. We’re able to see all of who we are on the stage in every single ugly, scary, emotional and beautiful way.

– William Shakespeare

What’s a Dramaturg?

I’ve been studying theatre for the last five years and it’s honestly been an uphill climb. No, this will not continue with another JRB reference.

But in all seriousness, a lot has changed within my time studying theatre at an undergraduate level. It hasn’t been easy getting to the place I am at now. I came to Fredonia believing that performing was what I wanted to do. I had my heart set that I was going to perform and be a Musical Theatre major my freshmen year. That didn’t happen for me and that’s okay. One door closed while another one opened.

From the spring of my sophomore year to the first three weeks into my 9th semester of undergrad I was a stage manager.

I assisted stage managed Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” the spring of my sophomore year and honestly didn’t look back. Within the department of theatre and dance at Fredonia, I stage managed three shows and assisted another. I have stage managed: “It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play,” “The Merry Widow” and “James and the Giant Peach.” I have been an assistant on “Hair.” I enjoyed my time I had as a stage manager and now I carry a great dose of knowledge about what goes behind the scenes within technical theatre. I came back my fifth year realizing I didn’t want to do it anymore. I started second guessing myself after “James…” closed but never actively analyzed the doubt I had until after audition week in the fall. I dropped my SM assignment this year and have been focusing on my writing opening the doors to great opportunities for me.

Which has led me to my final assignment at Fredonia: being an assistant to the director and dramaturg for Gilbert & Sullivan’s savoy opera, “The Pirates of Penzance.”

You might be asking yourself, “What’s a dramaturg?” And the answer to that is simple:

theatreroomasia.com

A dramaturg is someone who conducts research not only around the play or musical itself, but other factors and influences such as: location, time period, playwrights, composers, historical significance and the correlation to the production they are working on in all artistic platforms to hard research. Dramaturgs will look at the text and find the underlying analysis of what it all means considering all influences to support. It’s not the quite the same as when a director analyzes text, dramaturgs uncover the meaning of “Why?” under a research based mindset. Dramaturg’s also research the definitions of words or concepts found in the script and score. They also uncover references within the text.

It’s a role some people don’t consider when working on a show but it can open up a dialogue between actors and even directors about questions they might lingering inside their head. As I am heading into my early stages of the dramaturg process for “The Pirates of Penzance”, I am realizing there’s so much to uncover. There’s always something new to find; even when you think you found what you wanted, there’s something more to read upon.

I’m finding the title “Dramaturg” is resonating with me more than “stage manager” ever did. I am slowly working my way to becoming the model of a modern major-dramaturg!

Modern Major General